Rope tramway



April 23, 1940.

VF. JOHANSEN El' AL ROPE TRAMWAY Filed Dec. 14, 1938 a/MWW ,MNM M WJZ@5f mi@ Patented 'Atp 23, 1940 UNITED STATES ROPE TRAMWAY FredrikJohansen and Elmer J. Lloyd, Worcester, Mass., assignors to The,American Steel and Wire Company of New Jersey, a, corporation of NewJersey Application December 14, 1938, Serial No. 245,797

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in rope tramways and moreparticularly to a connection adapted to permit the passage of a carrierfor an aerial tramway from a rigid overhead rail to a suspended flexibletrack.

An object of this invention is to permit the passage of a tramwaycarrier from an overhead fixed rail onto a suspended track cable in asmooth and gradual manner.

A further object of this invention is to provide a curved bearingsurface having a large radius so as to secure a maximum bearing surfaceof the movable rail end on the exible cable.

These and other advantages will become apparent as the disclosureproceeds, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the movable rail end assembly;

Figure 2 is a section on line II--II of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on line IV--IV of Figure 1; and,

Figure 5 is a section on line V-V of Figure 1.

In the drawing, the numeral 2 represents a cast steel movable rail endwhich is pivotally supported at 3 to the end of a rigid overhead rail ortrack 4. The rail end 2 is constructed to provide a main body portion ofsubstantially inverted U-shaped cross-section, as shown in Figure 3, toform a carrier engaging surface 5. The end of the movable rail end 2,pivoted to the rigid overhead track 4, is extended beyond the main bodyportion to provide integral flange members 6 positioned on each side ofthe rigid overhead track and held in spaced relation to the end of therigid overhead track by means of filler blocks 1. These filler blocksare suitably secured on each side ofthe rigid. track independent of thepivotal connection between flanges 6 and the rigid track 4. The mainbodyportion of the movable rail end 2 terminates in a ange 8 dependingat a point substantially beyond the end of the rigid track 4. Theflanges 6, which extend beyond the end of the movable rail end 2, areprovided with curved surfaces 9 tapering downwardly toward the free endof the flanges and terminating at their free ends in a plane below thetread surface of the rigid track 4. The movable rail end is pivotallysecured to the rigid track at a point above the plane of the flexibletrack IIl as clearly shown in Figure 1.

The opposite or free end of the movable rail end 2 is provided withupwardly extending flanges I2 which are in a plane below the plane ofthe flexible track I0, as clearly indicated in Figure 5.

(Cl. Mill- 87) In order to retain the free end in proper relationship tothe flexible track IIJ, a filler block I4 is suitably secured betweenthe flanges I2.

The movable rail end is provided, as shown in Figure 4, with a curved orarcuate-shaped bearing surface I5 which increases the bearing surfacefor the flexible track or cable I and decreases the bending stress inthe wires of said flexible track cable. This curved bearing surface I5,in addition to providing a relatively large bearing surface for theflexible track or cable, is also curved transversely to align with thecurvature of the vvarious diameters of cable capable of being used forthe flexible track I0. The radius of the bearing surface depends on thediameter of the cable, size of wires and working tension.

Under such a construction, it is possible to permit agradual transfer ofthe carrier I6 from the rigid track 4 to the exible track I0. As thewheels Il, of the carrier I6, approach the end of the rigid track 4,.they engage, prior to the end of the track 4, the extended flanges 6 ofthe movable rail end 2, as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing. The top ofthese anges 6 is curved to permit a gradual transfer of the carrierwheels I'I from the rigid overhead rail 4 ontothe carrier engagingsurfaces of the movable rail end 2. The carrier being supported on thesurface 5 of the rail end 2 passes over said rail end until it reaches apoint substantially adjacent the free end thereof, whereupon it engagesthe extended anges I2 prior to being transferred to the flexible trackII). The flanges vI2 support the carrier wheels I'I until the treadportion of said wheels, due to the downward pressure caused by theweight of the carrier, engages the top of the exible track I0, as shownin Figure 5. The weight of the carrier I6 then depresses the flexibletrack Il] to a slight degree and will continue to run on the flanges I2,due to their downward taper below the plane of the flexible member I0,until the resistance of the flexible track I0 is sufficient to supportthe load.

The anges I2, of the movable end member 2, gradually taper downwardlytoward their ends to a plane below the normal plane of the exible trackI0 and, due to this curvature, assist in the gradual transfer of thecarrier I6 from the movable rail end 2 onto the flexible track I0.Therefore, the carrier I6 has been transferred from the rigid track 4 tothe exible track I0 in a smooth and gradual manner without any impact orjarring of the flexible track.

The wheels Il of the carrier I6 transmit their load to the flexiblecable |'0 through the movable rail end 2, such load being concentratedat the bearing surface I5. The flexible track I0, which deects under theload, bends on the radius of the groove of the track cable deflectingsaddle I8. The flexible track also bends at the point of contact betweenthe flexible track Ill and the large bearing surface I5, thus increasingthe bearing surface for said flexibletrack and ,decreasing the bendingstress in the wires forming the flexible track. Furthermore, as the loadis applied to the flexible track, the curved bearing surface I5 slides ashort distance on said flexible track and when the load is removed, the'flexible track resumes its position and the large curved bearingsurface I5 slides in the opposite ldirection on the flexible track. Thisslow intermittent sliding action tends to Wear both the Wires of thecable forming the flexible track and the movable rail end but due to thelong radius bearing surface I5 of the movable rail end,` the'unit ofbearing pressure is -small and Wear of the exible track and movable railend is minimized.

Such a smooth transfer of the carrier from the rigid track to 'theflexible track overcomes the main Vdificulties experienced in overheadtransfer devices now in use. It eliminates continual pounding oftheWires forming the iiexible track and'lessens the danger of a rupture tothe Wire constituting the iiexible track.

While We have shown and described a specific embodiment of .ourinvention, it will be understood that we do not Wish to be limitedexactly thereto, since Various modifications maybe made Without.departing from the scope of the invention, as .dened by the lfllowingclaims.

We claim:

1. lIn an overhead track construction including a rigid track and aflexible track, a movable rail having a substantially inverted U-shapedconstruction pivotally supported by said rigid track andinterposedbetween said rigid track and "ilexible track comprising a mainbody portion, said main body portion including a longitudinallyextending .arcuate-shaped bearing surface formed on one .end thereofwhich rests upon said flexible track, said arcuate-shaped bearingsurface having a relatively large radius of curvature whereby the radiusof the catenary formed by the flexible track When the same is'loaded.decreases and approaches the radius of curvature of the arcuate-shapedbearing surface so that the amount of bearing surface of the movablerail in contact with the'flexible track increases as the load thereonincreases, and flanges on each end of said main body portion, saidflanges on one end 'disposed on each side of said rigid track and theflanges onthe other `end4 disposed on each side of said flexible track,'the top surface of said iianges approaching gradually to thevlevel ofthe tread surfaces of the respective 'tracks so that a carrier istransferred from said rigid track to said flexible track' iny a smoothand gradual manner and with no impact on the flexi ble track.

2. In combination with a rigid track and a flexible track, a movablerail end pivotally supported by said rigid track above the horizontalplane of the iiexible track, said movable rail end comprising a mainbody portion of substantially inverted U-shaped cross .section having alongitudinally extending arcuate-shaped engaging surface Which restsupon said flexible member, integral flanges extending from each end ofsaid main body portion and disposed on each side of said rigid track andiiexible track, said arcuateshapedengaging surface having a relativelylarge radius of curvature Which is arranged thereon Ibetweentheflangeson the outer end of the main body portion whereby the radius ofcurvature of movable rail end in Contact With said flexible.'

VYthe catenary formed by the flexible track when track .increases as theload thereon increases,

saidbearing surface curved transversely to conform to the diameter ofthe flexible track, the flangeson both ends of saidmain body portionhaving curved faces to conformwith the respective tracks, to thecontourof awheel carrier, vthe top surfaces of saidflanges `approachinggradually ,..to the level of ,the tread surface of the respective tracksso Vthat a .carrier fis ,transferred fromsaid rigid trackto saidflexible track in a smooth .and gradual .manner .devoid of any poundingto said exible track.

8. The combination .with .arigid track and a exible .cable trackcooperating therewith, of a movable rail member interposed .between Ltherigid track .and theflexible cable track, said movable memberhaving ythe,inner Aend thereof pivotally connected to said rigid track above thehorizontal plane of the flexible track withthe opposite outer endthereof having a longitudinally vextending .arcuateeshaped bearingAsurface arranged therewith vWhich Vrests vupon the flexible ,cabletrack,.the Aouter end of said.movai:1e rail .member disposed yon .saidflexibletrack having. substantially an inverted U-.shapedcross-.sectionwith the arcuate-,shaped bearingsurfacearranged therewithhaving a relatively large radius of.,curvature and `extending throughouta .substantialv Vpart of the outer end portion of the rail member whichoverlies the flexible track Whereby the radius of curvature of thecatenary formed by the iiexible. track when the same isloaded de`creases and approaches the .radius of curvature vof the arcuate-shaped4bearing surface so that the amount ofY bearing surfaceof the outer end.of the movable .rail member in contact with said flexible trackincreases as the load, thereon increases.

` `IF'REDRIK JOI-LANSEN.

.ELMER J. LLOYD.

